Hundreds more relocated as extreme rain threat looms over Gujarat, again

The highest relocation of 4,022 people was in Navsari district, followed by 1,343 in Tapi 1,432 in Surat, 914 in Anand, 329 in Vadodara, 178 in Narmada, 58 in Kheda and 40 in Valsad.

Between June 1 and July 30, 53,647 people were relocated, and another 9,610 rescued from rain-related incidents; most of the cases were in Navsari and Surat.

In the 10 hours ending Friday 4 pm, Netrang in Bharuch recorded the highest of 268 mm or 10.55 inches of rain, followed by Surat’s Umarpada (247 mm) and Ambika (246 mm).

As many as 41 talukas in central and southern districts received over 100 mm rain in the same period.

Vaso in Kheda saw 242 mm rain, Dang’s Subir 209 mm, Kheda’s Nadiad 201 mm, Tapir’ Dolvan 190 mm, Anand’s Khambhat 190 mm, Anand’s Borsad 184 mm, Areth 180 mm, Surat’s Bardoli 166 mm, Surat’s Mangrol 176 mm, Anand’s Petlad 172 mm and Narmada’s Sagbara 156 mm).

Meanwhile, while the India Meteorological Department’s red alert remains in effect for Surendranagar, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Botad on Saturday, Banaskantha, Vav-Tharad, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Aravalli, Bharuch, Amreli, Morbi and Kutch have been issued orange alert against very heavy rains.

Other districts are under a yellow alert—meaning light to heavy rainfall that may go on till August 3 morning.

Ahmedabad received an average of 25.24 mm rain till Friday 6 pm, with areas in the northwest, west and southwest receiving the most rainfall.

Waterlogging was seen in northwest areas such as Thaltej (60 mm rain), Science City (54 mm), and Bodakdev (52.5 mm). Bopal in southwest received 50.5 mm rain, Jodhpur 32.5 mm. West’s Motera saw 43 mm rain, Ranip 38 mm and Chandkheda 31 mm.

As of 10 am on July 31, Gujarat has received an average of 508 mm and 55.97 per cent of its seasonal rainfall.

Rivers swollen; highest rain in Kheda

Heavy rain, accompanied by gusty winds and thunderstorms, disrupted normal life across central Gujarat on Friday, inundating low-lying areas in Kheda district and triggering rescues and evacuations in Narmada district.
District-wise, Kheda, which has received both orange and red alerts, saw the highest rain. Since early morning, several parts of the district received more than two inches of rainfall.

In Nadiad, heavy rain within a short span submerged several low-lying localities and affected vehicular movement due to waterlogging.

The downpour extended to rural parts of the district, including Matar taluka, where villages such as Bhalada, Pariej and Limbasi witnessed waterlogging on roads and fields, leaving paddy farmers worried.

Rivers overflowed in Vadodara, Bharuch, Kheda and Chhota Udepur districts. In Chhota Udepur, an NDRF team rescued a man who had been stranded for nearly two hours in the swollen Ashwin River near Naswadi following heavy overnight rainfall. The river’s water level rose sharply after intense rain and, as a result of more inflows from upstream, he was trapped near the Naswadi Dargah.

Heavy rainfall also caused the swelling of the Hiran in Chhota Udepur, completely submerging the newly constructed state’s first air-filled rubber dam in Rajvasana.

In neighbouring Narmada, heavy rainfall created a series of emergencies. Authorities temporarily closed a bridge near Old Mojda in Dediapada after floodwaters flowed over its surface, suspending traffic and pedestrian movement as a precaution.

Twenty-two-year-old Shashikant Tadvi was rescued from a river near Zaria village in Garudeshwar taluka through a coordinated operation involving locals and officials. However, 30-year-old Sanjay Baria, of Kothara in Dabhoi taluka, remained missing after he went bathing in the river.

Also, authorities evacuated more than 30 families living on the riverbank near Narsinh Tekri in Rajpipla. In Uman village of Sagbara taluka, seven people of two families were relocated before floodwaters entered their home.